Convicted murderer Bissey has minor role in "Music Behind Bars'

October 18, 2002|By Tim Blangger Of The Morning Call

Christopher Bissey, the Graterford inmate serving life sentences for murdering two young women at the lookout near Lehigh University in 1995, has a very minor role in the controversial half-hour documentary, "Music Behind Bars," which airs tonight at 10 p.m. on VH1, a video music channel.

A VH1 clip promoting the series, which aired last week, outraged Mary Orlando, mother of one of the murder victims, and moved state Rep. T.J. Rooney (DNorthampton), whose district includes the murder scene, to propose a resolution last week asking VH1 to donate proceeds from the program to the state's Office of Victim Advocate. The resolution passed without a dissenting vote.

Bissey appears clearly in one brief scene, when the heavy metal band, Dark Mischief, is practicing before a concert. Bissey is shown singing background vocals and then briefly in two other scenes during the same rehearsal.

He isn't identified by name, nor is he interviewed, as other present and past members of the band are. But Bissey can be seen among the rehearsing musicians, wearing a brown baseball cap, prison pants and a white T-shirt. Bissey's hair, which was short during his murder trial, is now in a long ponytail.

Bissey is serving two consecutive life sentences for the murders of Mary Orlando, 15, and her friend, Jennifer Grider, 17. Bissey was 18 at the time.

VH1 provided an advance videocassette copy of the first two episodes of the "Music Behind Bars" series but didn't respond to requests for an interview regarding the program. The show is hosted by Dylan McDermott (Golden Globe-winning star of "The Practice") and produced by Oscar-winning producer Arnold Shapiro (the creator of "Scared Straight," "Big Brother" and "Rescue 911.")

When the controversy over the program first emerged last week, spokespeople for the music video channel said Bissey was not one of the inmates interviewed for the documentary.

Other members of the band, which includes two other convicted murderers serving life sentences, are interviewed as part of the series, which was shot inside prisons in Kentucky, New Jersey, California as well as Pennsylvania.

The documentary shows the band preparing for a concert, a requirement for all prison bands. If the bands don't perform for other inmates on a regular basis, or if their performances are not well received, the band risks loosing their music privileges.

Bissey also does not appear in footage taken during the Dark Mischief concert. The lead singer, Troy, walks a microphone into the audience and encourages inmates to sing the backing vocals.